Boom in North Dakota responsible for unreported major oil spills

Tioga
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A 20,600-barrel spill of crude oil in Tioga, North Dakota, recently went unnoticed for 11-days because of the government shutdown. The largest oil spill in the state, 2,209 barrels of oil were spilled in 300 other unreported spills.

The government's regional EPA could not be reached in regard to the recent 20,600-barrel leak of crude oil until the government shutdown was over, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) were available, Reuters reported on October 10, 2013, of the September 29, 2013, of the oil spill.

AP reports, "For almost two weeks, no one knew about a break in a Tesoro Corp. pipeline that was discovered Sept. 29 in a remote area near Tioga. Officials say no water was contaminated, or wildlife hurt, but the spill was one of the largest in North Dakota's history, estimated at 20,600 barrels. Oil oozed over an area the size of seven football fields."

Tesoro Logistics LP (NYSE: TLLP), based out of San Antonio, Texas, is responsible for the North Dakota pipeline and the two years of unreported oil spills. Currently, Tesoro Logistics LP has made no plans to restart the burst pipeline but according to NY Times they have reported they plan on using additional monitoring equipment to detect any future problems.

Straining as it is to keep up with supply, an additional 610-mile "Sandpiper" line is considered crucial to carry 200,000 barrels per day from western North Dakota's Bakken fields to Superior, Wisconsin, site of the company's terminal. However, farmers and property owners feel the pipeline will destroy their way of life, especially with the recent oil spill that was not made public for 11-days and the 300 hushed oil spills.